Yatran, Mining Geomancer Legendary Creature - Dwarf Shaman (R)
Haste T: Put a Mining Counter on target land. T: Destroy target land with a Mining Counter on it unless it's controller lets you draw a card. 1/3
Well, I think if we're being honest it's kind of silly to deny a version that costs, say, 100RR. There are already many not-at-all-problematic cards that win 99% of games for that cost.
Fake Out0
(U) Instant You win the game.
I can't take credit for this one, but I felt it was fully appropriate to this thread.
The Twelfth Hour7WUBRG Sorcery (MR)
The Twelfth Hour can't be cast this game unless you reached your twelfth turn this game without taking an extra turn.
You win the game.
Would that work?
The problem with this design (aside from the fact that it's a game ending card that players can't interact with) is that players don't naturally track the number of turns that pass in a game, nor is it something they want to do. Sure, the person playing this card is incentivized to track the turn count (or at least they ought to, as unfun as that is), and in a digital space, it wouldn't matter at all, but for a physical game like Magic, keeping track of how many turns have passed is an annoying bookkeeping chore that detracts from the game and is irrelevant in 99% of cases. And when a player actually goes about casting this spell, because his opponents haven't been tracking the turn count, they sort of just have to take their opponent's word for it that everyone is indeed on the twelve turn of the game and not the eleventh one (because the eleventh turn feels nearly identical to the twelve turn). With Serra Avenger, you can at least count backwards and ensure you aren't casting it prematurely. Not so much with this design.
Really? I personally keep track of turns as I used to play to with Serra Avenger frequently and that its just become a habit ever since. I also make sure to write a small note, about when I went, with parenthesis such as "Turn 0 (went second)". Turn 0 being important because of Gemstone Caverns which I did run during TSP era and now in my commander decks.
The Twelfth Hour7WUBRG Sorcery (MR)
The Twelfth Hour can't be cast this game unless you reached your twelfth turn this game without taking an extra turn.
You win the game.
Would that work?
“If it’s your twelfth turn, you win the game.”
Would need some variation of the text "...without taking an extra turn." as it can be abused if not put in place like Axolotl pointed out. But otherwise, yes.
From a design perspective, it's an unprintable card. From a balance perspective, I'm sure you could find some cost at which the card is fair. After all, if you make the card so ludicrously expensive that it's virtually uncastable, you basically relegate it to combo use only, and at that point it wouldn't be different from any other game winning combo. So, that suggests there must be a point where "win the game" is extremely expensive, but also not so expensive that it can't ever be hard cast under the proper conditions. So, what should that cost exactly? I don't know. You're definitely looking at double digits, but quantifying the exact amount isn't something I'm interested in since, again, this kind of effect is unprintable from a design perspective.
How about:
The Twelfth Hour7WUBRG Sorcery (MR)
The Twelfth Hour can't be cast this game unless you reached your twelfth turn this game without taking an extra turn.
You win the game.
Considering you'd really make it a sorcery that is unconditional you'd have to aim rather high. A lot of very powerful cards such as Expropriate, Tooth and Nail et al go around CMC 9. At the same time U is the only color that can deal with sorceries easily. Some fast mana into said card at 7 or 8 would be banworthy and a complete feel bad thing.
With Emrakul, the Promised End, Blightsteel Colossus, Enter the Infinite and the likes in comparison i'd go further than 13.
Maybe 17, just for the sake of being the card with the highest cost in the game?
I'm curious about those anti-cheat clauses. How are you going to make sure Mizzix of the Izmagnus, Elves, fast mana or any infinite mana combos can't abuse it "too early" in the game?
A clause that prevents it from being cast in an earlier turn?
Example: "This card can't be cast this game unless you've reached (number=cmc) turn this game."
Avacyn, Crowd Favorite3WW Legendary Creature - Angel Wrestler [MR]
Convoke, persistence
When ~ enters the battlefield, create a 0/1 white and red Citizen token with exalted named Adoring Fan. TagoutRR(This creature returns to the command zone and its partner enters the battlefield.)
Partners with Tibalt the Painbringer
4/4
Tibalt the PainbringerRR Legendary Creature - Devil Wrestler [MR]
First strike, provoke
When ~ enters the battlefield, put two -1/-1 counters on the creature that was blocking or blocked by Avacyn, Crowd Favorite. If a creature given counters this way would die this turn, draw a card. TagoutWW(This creature returns to the command zone and its partner enters the battlefield.)
Partners with Avacyn, Crowd Favorite
3/1
Well people have been asking how bad is it for vintage and we now have our answer. Dredge has an approximate 99.05% chance of starting with Bazaar of Baghdad in hand by using the London Mulligan and also Serum Powder.
Legendary Creature - Dwarf Shaman (R)
Haste
T: Put a Mining Counter on target land.
T: Destroy target land with a Mining Counter on it unless it's controller lets you draw a card.
1/3
(U) Instant
You win the game.
I can't take credit for this one, but I felt it was fully appropriate to this thread.
Would need some variation of the text "...without taking an extra turn." as it can be abused if not put in place like Axolotl pointed out. But otherwise, yes.
The Twelfth Hour 7WUBRG
Sorcery (MR)
The Twelfth Hour can't be cast this game unless you reached your twelfth turn this game without taking an extra turn.
You win the game.
Would that work?
Example: "This card can't be cast this game unless you've reached (number=cmc) turn this game."
Legendary Creature - Angel Wrestler [MR]
Convoke, persistence
When ~ enters the battlefield, create a 0/1 white and red Citizen token with exalted named Adoring Fan.
Tagout RR (This creature returns to the command zone and its partner enters the battlefield.)
Partners with Tibalt the Painbringer
4/4
Tibalt the Painbringer RR
Legendary Creature - Devil Wrestler [MR]
First strike, provoke
When ~ enters the battlefield, put two -1/-1 counters on the creature that was blocking or blocked by Avacyn, Crowd Favorite. If a creature given counters this way would die this turn, draw a card.
Tagout WW (This creature returns to the command zone and its partner enters the battlefield.)
Partners with Avacyn, Crowd Favorite
3/1
Link for those interested: https://www.reddit.com/r/magicTCG/comments/auovpx/i_wrote_code_to_determine_how_to_mulligan_with/